RKO 281: За кулисами «Гражданина Кейна»

1999 film by Benjamin Ross about the making of Citizen Kane (1941)

RKO 281 is a 1999 American historical drama television film directed by Benjamin Ross, written by John Logan, and starring Liev Schreiber, James Cromwell, Melanie Griffith, John Malkovich, Roy Scheider, and Liam Cunningham. The film depicts the troubled production behind the 1941 film Citizen Kane. The film's title is a reference to the original production number of Citizen Kane. It premiered on HBO on November 20, 1999.

In 1940, Orson Welles, RKO studio head George Schaefer, and screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz struggle in making what will be considered the greatest American film, Citizen Kane. Welles and Mankiewicz attend a party at Hearst Castle where meeting the hypocritical and tyrannical William Randolph Hearst gives Welles the inspiration to make a film about Hearst's life. Mankiewicz is against it because he knows Hearst's wrath will be horrible, but Welles says this is the film. Mankiewicz finally agrees. At first, Welles tries to take credit for everything, including the script, and Mankiewicz is furious with Welles—he faces him, and Welles says he has every right and cuts ties with Mankiewicz. Orson later reconsiders and asks Mankiewicz to continue re drafting the screenplay, giving him a joint credit. After learning from the gossip columnist Hedda Hopper, who had viewed a press screening, that Welles' film is actually a thinly veiled and exceptionally unflattering biography of him, publishing tycoon Hearst uses his immense power and influence to try to deny the release of the picture. Hearst's mistress, actress Marion Davies, endures the embarrassment of having their private lives exposed and vilified. Hopper threatens to do the same to the studio executives of Hollywood if they release the film. Later on in their relationship many years after the release of Citizen Kane Marion gives Hearst money when his finances begin to diminish (by selling all the jewelry he gave her and giving him the money in the form of a check). In the end, after considerable delays and harassment, plus the disintegration of the professional relationship between Welles and Mankiewicz and a costly blow to Schaefer's career, the film is finally released. Its publicity is muted by Hearst's ban on its mention in all his publications and its commercial success is limited. Welles ultimately has the satisfaction of having created one of the most critically acclaimed films of all time.

The script is based in part on the 1996 American documentary film The Battle Over Citizen Kane written by Thomas Lennon and Richard Ben Cramer. Producer Ridley Scott wanted to film in the Hearst Castle, but was refused access. RKO 281 was filmed in the United Kingdom, mostly around London. The Gothic stairwell in Hearst Castle was filmed in the St Pancras Renaissance London Hotel. Hearst's private quarters and office, including a marble fireplace, were filmed in the high ceilinged Gamble Room in the Victoria & Albert Museum. The Hearst castle dining hall and ballroom was filmed in the Great Hall of the London Guildhall.

On aggregate review site Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a "fresh" rating of 93%, based on 14 reviews.

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref. 2000 American Cinema Editors Awards Best Edited Motion Picture for Non Commercial Television Alex Mackie Artios Awards Best Casting for TV Movie of the Week Lora Kennedy Columbus International Film & Video Festival Chris Award (Entertainment) Golden Globe Awards Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film Liev Schreiber Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film Melanie Griffith Online Film & Television Association Best Motion Picture Made for Television Best Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Liev Schreiber Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries James Cromwell John Malkovich Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Brenda Blethyn Melanie Griffith Best Direction of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Writing of a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Costume Design in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Editing in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Lighting in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Music in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best New Theme Song in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best New Titles Sequence in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Production Design in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Sound in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Made for Television Movie Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Diane Minter Lewis, Chris Zarpas, and Su Armstrong Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Liev Schreiber Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie James Cromwell John Malkovich Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Melanie Griffith Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Benjamin Ross Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special John Logan Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Maria Djurkovic, Lucinda Thomson, and Tatiana Macdonald Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Lora Kennedy and Joyce Nettles Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Roseann Samuel, Elaine Browne, Karen Z. M. Turner, Aileen Seaton, and Lesley Noble Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special John Altman Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Alex Mackie Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie Clive Derbyshire, Mark Taylor, and Mike Dowson San Francisco International Film Festival Best Television – Drama Television Feature Benjamin Ross and Su Armstrong Satellite Awards Best Television Film 2001 Nastro d'Argento Best Foreign Director Benjamin Ross Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Adapted John Logan; Based in part on the documentary The Battle Over Citizen Kane